


Birthday Wishes

by thegraeyone



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Birthday Party, Drinking, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-25
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-10-16 02:12:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17540690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegraeyone/pseuds/thegraeyone
Summary: The gang takes Joey out on his birthday, mostly because they love him, and also to distract from the fact that his boyfriend is out of town.Short and sweet, to celebrate the birthday of my favorite boy.





	Birthday Wishes

**Author's Note:**

> I got back into Yu-Gi-Oh in a big way these past few months and I think it's actually really sweet when people post fanart and stuff for characters birthdays?? So I wanted to do a little something, especially since Joey Wheeler is my favorite character. I only want good things for my boy!

Joey’s birthday party had taken over the back room of the bar. Tristan was draped over Duke, laughing as they shared stories from their latest gaming convention, and Yugi drunkenly planned a brand new game with them using the discarded shot glasses and straws that littered the table. Bakura was well past tipsy, his head dropped to the table and white hair tangled up in absolutely everything. Mai and Tea leaned their heads together as they both shared their wildest stories abroad, giggling before they could finish and starting over again. Serenity had been sitting at Joey’s side before she disappeared out of the room, and now Joey leaned forward, watching his friends, his face warm and his mood lifted. As far as birthdays went, it was pretty good.

He did check his phone one more time, even though he knew it was useless. Mokuba had sent him one hundred emojis and a looping gif of a birthday cake, but the older Kaiba had been silent. He wasn’t too bothered by it. Kaiba was in California with his brother, looking to expand Kaibaland to the Americas, and he’d been flying back and forth four times a week. Joey struggled enough wrapping his head around the time difference when he and Yugi talked to Tea. He wasn’t even sure what day it was over there, and while he didn’t think it was too much to expect a text from his boyfriend, Kaiba was as fastidious in his business as he was forgetful in his personal life. Joey had learned not to take it to heart.

He was distracted from his momentary melancholy as Serenity slid open the door, holding out a small birthday cake with 33 candles lining its edge. Everyone cheered as she placed it in front of Joey, and he squeezed her in a hug as she sat down beside him. The clumsy, drunken singing of his friends had him in tears on the ground, but Mai managed to get him upright to blow out the candle. Slices were passed around readily, the cloying sweetness of the sponge cake thick in Joey’s throat.

Yugi abandoned the game and sidled up to Joey. He laughed as he put his arm around his best friend. Yugi’s small stature and embarrassingly low alcohol tolerance always meant he had a good time even with one drink.

“Are you having fun?” Yugi asked, big violet eyes staring up at him.

Joey squeezed him. “Of course, dude. I wasn’t expecting anything.”

“I know it sucks with Kaiba being out of town so much,” he said. “We wanted to do something for you.”

“It’s great,” he promised. “It’s exactly what I wanted.”

It was, actually. They were all doing their own things these days. Yugi was King of Games, which left few openings in his schedule, and the rest of them were at tournaments, or with family, or across the ocean. The fact that Tea and Mai had flown in to see him, and Yugi had rescheduled some interview, and they were all here during Domino’s latest cold snap with snow piling up outside just to celebrate him, that was going to make him weepy if he risked any more drinks.

“It’s so stupid that Kaiba’s not here,” Yugi said as he flopped down into Joey’s lap and fished his phone from his pocket. “I’m gonna call him.”

“Don’t do that.” Joey snagged it from him and placed it on the table. “What do I need moneybags for anyway?”

“Oh, good, Yugi’s drunk,” Tea said and leaned over him, her own face flushed with alcohol. “You promised you’d do my routine with me.”

He laughed as she pulled him to his feet, and clumsily they moved to the other side of the room. The small space made Tea’s kicks dangerous, and one narrowly avoided Tristan, who stumbled up and grabbed her in a hug until she stopped. As the clock ticked closer to midnight, the group took their rowdiness outside. The snow was coming in thick now, and Tea, Tristan, and Yugi wrapped their arms around Joey, keeping him warm. The street was full of people enjoying their evening, and no one gave notice to the party. It really was a good birthday, and Joey wasn’t even bothered that his boyfriend couldn’t make it. He’d call Kaiba tomorrow, and he’d be apologetic, and he’d probably send some ostentatious gift to make up for it, which was such a Kaiba move, because Kaiba was--

Kaiba was right here.

Joey blinked as Yugi called out an enthusiastic, “Hey, Kaiba!” The whole group looked at the billionaire as he exited his car. He was wearing a dark trench coat over business clothes that were only slightly wrinkled from the flight. His dark hair was disheveled and his eyes sleep, and Joey wondered what time it was for him right now. The others offered their greetings and their goodbyes in the same breath as Kaiba approached. Mai blew them both kisses as Serenity gave Joey one last hug, and Yugi squeezed his friend’s hand before jogging after Tea. Suddenly it was just Joey and Kaiba, looking at each other as the snow flurried around them. Idly, Joey glanced at the time on his phone, and a soft smile touched his lips. 11:59. Somehow, Kaiba had made it.

“I thought you were in California,” he said.

“Obviously not anymore.” A smirk graced Kaiba’s idiot face. That sneaky bastard.

“You flew all the way back for me?” Joey was grinning now.

“It’s your birthday,” he said simply, like that was all it took for him to get on a ten hour flight back to Japan. “I would’ve been in earlier, if it wasn’t for the snow.”

“How’d you even know where we were?” His gaze snapped over his shoulder. Yugi and Kaiba in cahoots. His own best friend.

Kaiba didn’t bother with an answer as he pressed a palm to Joey’s cheek and guided him back. He kissed him, softly, sweetly, and Joey couldn’t stop smiling as he wrapped his arms around his neck. When they parted, Kaiba was smiling back.

He did notice Kaiba’s hands were ice cold against his cheek, and Joey nuzzled into them. It was probably 80 degrees in California when Kaiba left and he’d returned to Domino during a snowstorm. The coat probably wasn’t enough in this weather. He lifted his head up and placed another kiss against his lips.

“Do you wanna get somewhere warm?” he asked.

“Please,” Kaiba said, and Joey laughed.

It was the best birthday he’d had in a long time.


End file.
